Second Sunday of Easter

Acts 4:32-351 Jn 5:1-6 Jn 20:19-31 Our gospel begins today on what is called the first day of the week. It is a fitting statement because it is the day of Jesus’ resurrection and a time of new beginnings. The apostles are together in a locked room, minus Thomas and the betrayer Judas. Suddenly Jesus is…

Easter

Acts 10:34A, 37-43Colossians 3:1-4 Or 1 Corinthians 5:6B-8John 20:1-9 God has made the most tremendous promise imaginable. God has promised to raise us from the dead, give us new, heavenly bodies, and then give us eternal life. Easter is our proof that God desires to keep that promise!

Palm Sunday

Is 50:4-7Lk 22:14—23:56Phil 2:6-11 Sunday is called Palm or Passion Sunday and is the beginning of Holy Week that culminates with Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday.  These three days are the highlight of the Church year. There are two gospels for Palm Sunday. The first tells us of Jesus’ triumphant…

Fifth Sunday of Lent

Is 43:16-21Phil 3:8-14Jn 8:1-11 Judgmentalism In Sunday’s gospel we once again see Jesus being tested by the scribes and Pharisees. This time they bring a woman to him who has been caught in the act of adultery. The Mosaic law prescribes stoning as the punishment. If Jesus says she should be stoned, he will go…

Fourth Sunday of Lent

Jos 5:9a, 10-122 Cor 5:17-21Lk 15:1-3, 11-32 Reconciliation The theme for the readings this Sunday is reconciliation. In the first reading the Israelites have reconciled with God and are now ready to enter the Promised Land. In the second reading Paul clearly calls us to reconciliation when he states, ”Brothers and sisters: whoever is in…

Third Sunday of Lent

Ex 3:1-8a1 Cor 10:1-6Lk 13:1-9 Good Fruit The gospel begins with some people talking about tragedies that occurred. A common belief at that time was that people suffered because of sins committed. Jesus responds to their comments with, “By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as…

Second Sunday of Lent

Gn 15:5-12, 17-18Phil 3:17—4:1Lk 9:28b-36 Open Our Hearts Think about your closest friend. That relationship did not happen overnight. There may have been instant attraction but it takes a long time to really know another person. The same is true of the apostles who were called to follow Jesus. Gradually they came to know more…

First Sunday of Lent

Dt 26:4-10Rom 10:8-13Lk 4:1-13 Lent This past Wednesday was Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Every liturgical year the church sets aside forty days of preparation for the most important feast of the year – Easter. Reading the scripture, the Word of God for this Sunday, tells us that Jesus, following his baptism goes into…

Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sir 27:4-71 Cor 15:54-58Lk 6:39-45 Know Yourself To be a committed disciple of Christ we must really know ourselves. We must be aware of our gifts and our faults or weaknesses. This is important because as disciples we are to produce good deeds for others. In order to accomplish these good deeds, we have to…

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Love in Action In the gospel for Sunday Jesus’ words challenge us to love as God loves. We are challenged to love with a depth beyond imagining. God loves us beyond anything we can possibly imagine. In response to God’s love, we are to love with every thought, word and action that we are capable…

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jer 17:5-81 Cor 15:12, 16-20Lk 6:17, 20-26 Trust in God Both the first and second readings remind us that it is foolish to place our trust in anyone or anything but God. “Thus says the LORD: Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away…

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Isaiah 6:1-2A, 3-81 Corinthians 15:1-11Luke 5:1-11 Responding to the Call The words of scripture remind us of our own personal call for a change of heart (metanoia) and our response to follow our call to discipleship. Paul states clearly in the second reading that, “I am reminding you, brothers and sisters, of the gospel I…

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jer 1:4-5, 17-191 Cor 12: 31-13:13Lk 4:21-30 Be Prophets Begin your reflection today by filling in your name in the opening words of the first reading from Jeremiah. “The word of the LORD came to me (your name), saying: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated…

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Neh 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-101 Cor 12:12-30Lk 1:1-4, 4:14-21 Inclusivity Paul begins the second reading for this Sunday with words that are critical for the society we live in today. “Brothers and sisters: As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so…

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Isaiah 62:1-51 Corinthians 12:4-11John 21-11Giftedness In John’s gospel miracles are called signs. In the gospel for Sunday Jesus performs his first sign of his new ministry. There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran…